Darcy the rescue dog is up for a national honour

[Daryl]

Darcy the rescue dog is up for a national honour retrieved from http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/8135394.Darcy_the_rescue_dog_is_up_for_a_national_honour/

A DOG who came to the aid of people trapped after a devastating earthquake is in the running to become a national hero.

Darcy, a five-year-old border collie, is one of four working dogs to make it to the final of the Dogs Trust Honours award scheme, in the Hero Dog category.

Darcy, who is part of the Essex Fire Service’s Urban Search and Rescue Team, based at Lexden, travelled to Sumatra, Indonesia, last October after a devastating earthquake killed more than 1,100 people.

Villages had been covered with rubble, and the Essex crew joined other teams to search for survivors.

Despite a 16-hour flight and searing temperatures, Darcy and her handler John Ball travelled across the country to a small village which had been covered by a landslide. Battling exhaustion, Darcy was set to work searching the area for any survivors buried under the rubble.

She was unable to detect anyone alive, but John said her presence proved a comfort to the families searching through the rubble by hand, as it gave them closure.

The dog hit the headlines on her return when she was put into quarantine, which her handler and others feared would waste her skills.

High profile media campaigns, spearheaded by the Gazette, led to Defra agreeing to make special arrangements for Darcy, which meant she was allowed back in her Lexden base during the day to continue her training.

John believes the campaign led to Darcy’s nomination for the award.

He said: “I knew a few people had put us forward after the campaign, but I only found out we had got this far last week. I’m not sure who she is up against, because there are a lot of worthwhile dogs who work hard in dangerous situations, so it is difficult to decide.

“I am very proud of her. Not only does she do her job very well, she is also our much-loved family pet.”

Darcy was released from quarantine last month, and has been behaving “like a puppy”, continually wanting to play and rarely leaving her owner’s side.

* To vote for Darcy, call 0901 030 9510, or text VOTE Darcy to 61008. Texts cost 25p, while calls cost 25p from a standard BT line. Other network charges may vary.